Rating curve technique between suspended particle matter concentration C and water discharge Q is often used to estimate sediment concentrations and fluxes when in-situ measurements are lacking. This requires significant datasets with appropriate fitting procedures. However, a large dispersion of plotted data induces large uncertainties in the determination of the rating model parameters. In addition to errors from measurement sources and non-univocal trends, a large part of the dispersion of the plots results from a non respect of the underlying hypothesis of causality between C and Q. A correct rating curve methodology should consider only the part of Q that leads to erosion. First, this requires the definition of the source, and the magnitude, of discharge that will generate erosion, and second, the implementation of a mixing model to fix the dilution rate at a specific location in the channel network. Both conditions require a good knowledge of the hydrological context of the studied watershed. Once these steps have been carried out, the fitting procedure can be applied and should be performed carefully, with the identification of the likely threshold of discharge between the erosion processes. This methodology should be applied at least to improve our knowledge of the physical significance of the rating parameters.

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